For the last two classes you had the opportunity to catch up on missing assignments, finish reading the novel, and complete your final quotation response that should now be posted to your blog. The instructions for the quotation response are on my Kidblog page. Don’t forget to also comment on three of your classmates’ blog posts.

In the last week you received a list of term 3 assignments and a print-out of recorded marks so far this term. Today was the deadline for handing in those missing assignments. Don’t forget that you need to have the novel finished for Friday and your kite project is also due that day. These will be the final term 3 assignments.

Last class you worked on finishing your found poems. Remember that you are trying to use Mr. Hosseini’s words to create a poem that reflects one of three time periods in Amir’s life. Your job, as the poet, is to create the “poetic style” so that the words sound and feel like a poem you created. Your finished poems should be posted to your blog.

On Thursday you will receive a list of Term 3 assignments. I have highlighted assignments that each of you are missing. You will have until Monday, April 8th to hand in any of these missing assignments.

Today we wrote Found Poems from The Kite Runner. We did the first “sample” poems together from pages 28 and 29 of the novel. You were to find 8 interesting phrases that you could use to create a 2-stanza, 8-line poem titled “Amir and Hassan”

After this, you began your found poem assignment that you will be posting to your blog next class. You are to write a poem of a minimum of 20 lines. It can be any form, and does not have to be divided into stanzas. Remember that a found poem uses words and phrases from another work – you should not change the words and you are not looking to make lines from individual words – you might as well just write your own poem then 😉 At the end of your poem you include your name, as the author, and then write – as found in The Kite Runner, by Khaled Hosseini. Don’t forget to give your poem a title.

I hope everyone had a restful spring break. I know I enjoyed some pleasure reading – I managed to read four books on my holiday to Arizona.

Now that we have returned you will find these last few months fly by. You will also feel your graduation fast approaching. Now is the time to dedicate yourself to the best possible work you can do.

You should be reading beyond chapter 14 of The Kite Runner now and you should also be considering options for your kite assignment. (a copy of the assignment is on the Handouts page)

Today we had a reading quiz and then considered some discussion questions in our book club groups. Be sure you can comfortably discuss all of the questions. Next class we will be working on a found poem using the novel.

We are working our way through The Kite Runner, by Khaled Hosseini. On Wednesday, we read chapter 7 together. This is a turning point in the novel, and explains the opening paragraph of the book as well as Amir’s life after “the winter of 1975.” We had some very meaningful and thoughtful discussion after reading. I really appreciated people’s honesty and willingness to share their reactions. This was not an easy chapter to read.

You should all have your blog post complete – the one where you wrote about a quotation from the novel. Don’t forget that you need to respond to at least three of your classmates’ posts.

Today we formed book club style groups and discussed 8 topics related to what we have read so far. You also completed an exit slip about your reactions to the novel or about one of the discussion topics from today. Remember, even though you did not have to answer these discussion topics like questions – you want to make some notes that you can refer to later. A copy of the discussion topics is on the handouts page.

I also posted, on the handouts page, a glossary of Farsi terms used in the novel. This is handy for terms you are not able to decode contextually.

Last class you had the opportunity to work on your pre-reading assignment for The Kite Runner. Remember that this is due TODAY! Part one should be posted to your blog, and part two should be handed in in hard copy form.

Today we looked at some terms associated with the middle east and countries like Afghanistan. So much of what we know about this region of the world is based on stereotypes so it is good to have a better understanding. We also worked on a map of Asia.

Don’t forget that your first reading “quiz” is on Monday, and the map is due at this time as well.

Poetry Projects – just a reminder that your poetry projects are now past their due date. After our Term 2 discussions I expected a better hand-in rate. English 12 is essential to your graduation and your future!

We have now started The Kite Runner, by Khaled Hosseini. Today we discussed the ethnic groups that populate Afghanistan and we began work on our pre-reading assignment. A copy of the UNIT SCHEDULE and the pre-reading ASSIGNMENT are on the HANDOUTS page.

We discussed dramatic monologues today. We read Dover Beach, by Mathew Arnold and discussed the elements of a dramatic monologue. We also introduced the steps to writing a good analysis of a poem. You were then give My Last Duchess, by Robert Browning to work through individually. Your first draft analysis is due at the end of Wednesday’s class. The slides from today are on the handouts page.